Elvenkind
Wood Elves The Wood Elves are among the most numerous of Aetherius' elvenkind, a young and confident folk who hold the old elven forest homelands in strength. The Wood Elves see their realms as the natural successors to lands such as the Faora Plains. Where the old empires expanded with strength and pride, the realms of the Wood Elves hope to grow with compassion and humility. The Wood Elves do not view their homelands as a land apart Novae Holus; they understand better than their kindred that for better or worse, their fates are bound up with the fates of the other races around them. Wood Elves have coppery skin tinged with green, and brown, green, or hazel eyes. Hair is usually brown or black, occasionally blond or copperyred. Wood elves prefer to dress in simple clothing, similar to the Lunar Elves but not quite so colorful. They favor a simple cut to tunic or dress, set off by common embroidery in natural designs. They are particularly fond of leather armor, and they often wear lovingly tooled and well-crafted suits even when they do not feel endangered. Their clothing, leather armor or not, is usually in dark shades of green and earth tones to better blend with their natural surroundings. They are a humble race and only rarely do they enhance their appearance with jewelry or similar accessories. Drow Elves Drow have obsidian-colored skin and pale yellow (or pale golden), silver or white hair, the latter being by far the most common. Like all elves, drow were incapable of growing beards, though many males were fond of long sideburns.Drow eyes are usually bright red, but some have different colored, often much paler eyes such as blue, lilac, pink, or silver. Sometimes a Drow's eyes could even be green, which meant that that particular Drow has some surface elven blood in their veins. They usually vary in height between 5' 4" and 6' (1.6 to 1.8 meters), and weighed between 130 to 175 lbs (59 to 80 kg) on average. Drow have lifespans far beyond those of humans and comparable with the rest of the elven races, although usually somewhat longer. This is, of course, presuming the Drow don't meet a premature and violent end, as many often do, but those that survive the trials of their society and the horrors of the Underdark could live for centuries, sometimes as long as 1000 years or more. Sun Elves Sun Elves have had a longstanding history with the world of Aetherius, and have been around even in the oldest writings of the world. In fact, some of the oldest known writings have been authored by Sun Elves themselves. With this in mind, the Sun Elves have always had a very active pursuit of knowledge, and everything about them shows it. The way that they dress, the way that they build their cities, and even the way that they conduct themselves is scholarly. This, unfortunately, brings an non-reputable name to Sun Elves, who are seen as snotty, or know-it-alls among various communities. Even so, their widely known pursuit of the unknown makes them highly sought as students of the Arcane and Divine arts. Sun Elves have bronze skin or even ambery, hair of golden blond, copper, black, red on rare occasions, and eyes of gold, silver and green. They favor contemplation, lore, and the study over the quick games and light-hearted songs of other elves, but seem to embody the unearthly beauty, grace, and presence of the elven folk. Sun elves dress in clothing that is at the same time magnificent and understated, ironically favoring darker colors as to contrast with their brightness. They decorate their clothes with intricate gold- or mithril-thread embroidery in exacting patterns whose subtle designs are easy to miss at first. Jewelry is simple but painstakingly crafted. Lunar Elves Lunar Elves are generally taller than their other elven brethren standing between 5'9" and 6'6", they weight on average between 120 - 160 lbs and have pale silvery skin that can tend into faint shades of blue, purple and pink. Their eyes are often a shade of purple or blue, rare cases have blue-green or violet-red eyes. Moon elves have hair colors from white, to black, and any color in between.. Lunar Elves are even less expressive than their more common kin, showing a slight smile at elation or a furrowed brow at loathing. Typically moon elves remain aloof and distant from the world, not getting involved unless they are threatened. Unlike other elves, moon elves rarely focus on one goal with much fervor, preferring to remain flexible and learn many things at once. They are slow to make enemies, slower to make friends, and slower still to forget either. They tend to ignore the insults and berating of others and go on their way rather than give them the time. Lunar Elves occupy the Hollowlands, and very, very rarely venture from their homeland. Seeing a Lunar Elf and their celestial beasts are a spectacle in itself. Most Lunar Elves stay cautious when venturing from the Hollowlands, for the corpse of a Lunar Elf is very valuable. Frost Elves Motionless in the gales and wind, winter pelts draped about them for camouflage, they wait in the frigid wastes, preying upon dire beasts and arctic horrors that lurk in the deep washes of snow. For what seemed like eons, the Frost Elves have occupied the outer reaches of Aetherius' frozen forests and ice-laden wastelands. Culturally, Frost Elves are a strange breed. Because of their cold environment and dislike of fire, Frost Elves prefer to eat raw meat, often cut into thin strips and dried in the chill winds. They've been known to consume humanoids and even other elves for food. Only the royal family generally has the audacity to consume other frost elves and does so as a show of power. Despite their seemingly cannibalistic and ice-cold nature, at most times, Frost Elves are pretty mellow in comparison to other Elvenkind. They also have a unique bond with their natural surroundings, and are known for making excellent Ice Druids. Although their relationship with certain species of wildlife is shaky, such as their relationship with the Frost Giants, the Frost Elves somehow find ways to make somewhat stable alliances with just about any species. Frost Elves are around five feet tall, lean and trim, like a frozen corpse. Their skin is gaunt and pale with a tinge of blue on the tips of their extremities. Squinting in the bright sunlight of the snowy desert, their eyes are a chilly pale blue or even white. Their hair, left to flow freely in the wind, has tinges of colors like blues and purples, but is so pale, that only frost elves, with their keen sight and pickiness, ever care to make a distinction other than white. Frost Elves take pride in their names, as they are based on their own actions, deeds and accomplishments. The names they are given include unique surnames, given based on events at birth, early childhood, and any time up to their first kill. Ash Elves (The Darkaralome) Known formally as the Darkaralome, but more commonly referred to as the Ash Elves, these Elvenkind inhabit hot and arid places such as the Fields of Ash in [[Novae Holus|'Novae Holus']]. Their kind, used to the harsh heat and rough lifestyles of living in Volcanic areas, allowed the ancient Ash Elves of Novae Holus to be renowned Dragon Whisperers. It is because of this ancient heritage that they get along so well with Dragonborn and other Draconic kind. Ash Elves also get along very well with Dwarves, the only race whose use of stonecraft surpasses their own. Though they are well known in many Dwarven and Elvish lands, they are a mystery to most humans, if not completely unknown. They rarely venture from their volcanic mountain homes these days. Ash Elves usually have red hair, pinkish-reddish eyes, and off-white skin, which is usually made so due to the ash of the volcanic wastes (hence the "Ash" of Ash Elves). They are a little shorter than most elves, usually by a few inches, though some have been known to reach large sizes. Upon birth, an Ash Elf is given three names by their parents. The first is their usual name, what they go by for the rest of their lives. The name of her mother or father (or, less frequently, an honored ancestor or family friend) is used as a base for the child's second name, and a suffix is then added. Their final name is a secret, "true" name that the Darkaralome might never reveal to anyone else. Telling someone else your true name is a sign of your solemn trust for that person. Typically, spouses share these names on their wedding day (and sometimes later with their grown children), clerics share theirs with their high priest, lieges share theirs with their lord, and soldiers share theirs with their captain. Giving out the true name of someone else is a grievous insult. A Darkaralome may change their common name, but can never change her true name.